Refrigeration system



Sept. 20, 1932. J. P. GREEN REFRIGERATION SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 'l Fil'e Oct. 4, 1928 Aww@ Plv.

f o f l as Sept. 20, 1932. 1. P. GREEN REFRIGERATION SYSTEM Filed Oct. 4, .1.928

l f r 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 2o, 1932.

REFRIGERATTON S Filed oct, 4,

J. F. GREEN YSTEM 6'7 l 38 sa 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. P. GRE-EN 1,878,772

- REFRIGERATION SYSTEM sept. 20, 19.32.

Filed oct. 4, 1928 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 i UNiTED STATES PATENT erstes y JOHN IP. GREEN, Oli"v PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA y YImreIcrn'imzrrron sYs'rEM `.Application led, October 4, 1928.V Serial 110.310,28).

My invention relates to means `for and methods of refrigeration, and it-has for one object the provision of refrigerating apparatus particularly applicable to sodafountains A further object of my invention is to pro` y pvide a beverage-cooling unit characterized by W its simplicity of design, by'its ease lof construction; `by the relatively long passage afforded thebeveragefluid in va casingof minimum dimensions; by the greatly increased rate of heat transfer aorded` from the beverage fluid; and by the provision of a beverage chamber. Y

With these and other applications in'mind, myinvention further consists in the details ,of construction and operation, hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig.'1is a detail, vertical sectional view of refrigerating apparatus embodying my inventiOn; A' Fig. 2 is a` horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken onv the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 of the beveragevcooling unit constituting one of the features 'of my invention, kthe sectional planeIV being taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and i Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view ofstandard refrigerating apparatus with which my invention is associated.

Referring to Figs. 1,2, `and 5, a. housing 1` of usual design is provided with a container 2 for a refrigerating unit 3 and a liquid bath 4. A plurality of j ars 5 may be supported in an lpper horizontal wall 6 Vof the housingl imnediately above the level of the liquid bath 4. The refrigerating unit 3 comprises a plurality of refrigerating coils or loops 7 adaptu ed to form approximately fiat sides 8 and19.

A lower end 11 of the coils 7 are directly sup ported on a horizontal bottom Wall Y12 of the receptacle 2. The upper ends of the lcoils 7 extend into a horizontally positioned header 13 which is V`immersed in the liquidfbath"4. 55

`The header 13 is provided with upper and lower pipes 14 and 15 which are respectively connected to the suction side 16 of a sulphur dioxlde compressor 17 and a storage chamberV V18 for the liquid sulphur dioxide. AV float 60 valve 19 controls the passage of liquid sulphur dioxide from the pipe 15 into the header 13, the valve 19 opening when the level of the' sulphur dioxide in the header 13 falls below a predetermined point.y An exhaust side 21 165 of the compressor 17is connectedto condense4 ing coils 22 for the sulphurdioxide gas, the condensed sulphur dioxide beingdischarged from the coils 22 through a pipe 23 to the storage tank 18. 'Adjustable automatictem- -70 perature-control means for the system is pro'- vided comprising a switch 24, which 'controls Y. the-operation of a driving motor 25 for theY compressor, and a pressure-responsive operating device 26'for the switch 24 whichl;

is'connected to the suction side 16 of the coin-Y pressor. Adjustable meansl 27 is also provided, vwhereby the operating temperature of the refrigerating coils V7 which is to vbe auzomaticallyimaintained, maybe variedj' atV 80 wil. In operation, assuming the temperature of thewat'er bath 4 above a predetermined.

amount,- the operation of the Vcompressor 17 by the driving motor 25 causes a decrease 1n 85m pressure in the refrigerating coils 7 andheader 13, so that the sulphurvdioxide liquid starts to boil. As the liquid is converted intoa gas,

heat is vabsorbed fromthe liquid bath4 to supply the latent heatof vaporization'. yThe sul- 90j phur dioxide gas thus formedl accumulates -in the upper portion of the header 13 and is withdrawn therefrom through the pipe 14 by means of the compressorl'?. The sulphur dioxide gas is then discharged into the cooling coils 2 under such pressure -as to cause condensation, the resultingk heat being removed by'airlcurrents established by a fan 28 actuated by the motor 25. The condensed sulphur dioxide gas now passes through thepipe 23 10G.

l drops'below 37O Fr.

as, for instance, soda fountains and the like,

Vhen the temperature of the cooling coilsv 7 drops toa valve determined by theradjustment of the means 27, the pressure in the suction side of the compressor 17 is such that the device 26 causes the operation ofthe switch 24 and the consequent cle-energization of the motor 25. Then the temperature of the coils 7 increases above the desired value, the pres.

sure of the sulphur dioxide gas in the header 13 is also increased, with the result that the device 26 functions to cause the closing of the switch 24 andthe re-energization-of the motor 25. Thus the cooling coils 7 are.I mainf tained at a predetermined operating temperay ture which is readily varied from one valve to another by adjusting the means 27.

perature to which the water bath 4 may be cooled ,without freezing is 37 F., inasmuch Hasthe circulation of the liquid stopssat that a temperature'.` Accordingly-the effective cool` ing temperature of the liquid bath 4 never In certain applications,-

itis desirable to obtain a much lower effective cooling temperature. This desired result is accomplished in my invention bythe provision of meanswhich utilizes theheat offusion of ice, as well as the cooling effect of a heat-conducting in. To this end, I provide a bever- Y age-cooling unit 29 comprising a casing 31 preferably of toroidal form so as tofwithstand' with one side 32 thereof in contact with the adjacent side 8 of the cooling coils 7. An outer side 33'faces an adjacent vertical side Wall 34 of the receptacle 2. a Y 7 f The side walls 32V and 33 of the casing 31are provided with centrally recessed portions 35 and 36, and annular-side portions37 and 38 of curved'cross section; The casing 31 may comprisesections 39 and 41, outer edge portions 42 and 43 of Ywhich are in telescoping engagement, asshown in Fig. 3. These edge portions may be weldedV or otherwise secured together.. The centrally'recessedf portions 35 and `36 are rigidlysecured"inV positionV vby "means, of a bolt 44.' An annular partition45`v is' operatively associatedfwith the outer side portion 37, an inner edge 46'being rigidly secured to an inner edge portion 47'of the side portion 37 An outer edge 48 of the partitionv V is positioned immediately adjacent to an outer'edge' portion 49 of the annular'side portion 37', leaving a relatively.smallannularfA passage`51 therebetween'. Anedge portion of the partition 45 is recessed to provide an enlarged auxiliary'passage'Q through which the beverage fluid may pass into an annular chamber 53 Vformed between the partition 45 and the annular side portion 47, in the event that the passage 51 is sealed by freezing or otherwise. The partition 45 is of curved cross-section and so positioned as to approximately parallelv the opposite annularfside portion ,38. TheY annular partition 45 and the annular side portion 38 are thus approximately equally spaced between the inner and outerdiameters thereof, as shown in Fig. 3.

l In accordance'with myinvention, the space between the partition 45 and the side 8 in contact withthe cooling coils 7 is formed into a relatively long spiral passage 54 by means of a spiral plate 55, anouter edge 56 of whichis adapted toabut against the curvedsurface of the partition 45 soasyto form a fluidi-tight i j opposite edge 57 of the spiral 55 may be spaced vExperience hasshown that the lowest temslightly from the adjacent annular side portion 38fto 'form a passage 58: interconnecting ing of an adjacent portion'fof the iuid in the spiral passage 54 fthe fluidffrom the passage 54 passing over-the large oolingsurface af;

fordedby the side V48 only whenthe ice Within the passa-ge 5 4Ahas' entirely melted; all aswill presently appearingreater detail.

An inner end of the spiral plate 55 termi-f nates, asshown in Fig. 4, to forman inlet Vpassage portionY 59 which is supplied with relatively warm beverage fluid through a sup ply pipe 61. The pipe 61 may extend `'from y the'casing 31. througl ik an upper inner .portion high pressures. The casing 31 is mounted on the bottom wall 12 ofthe liquid receptacle 2' 62 ofthe partition 45 and an Vupper edge portion 63of-the annular side portion 37 i An outer end 64 of the plate 55 terminates just linwardly of an adjacent'side portion 65 of the pipe6-7 ris positioned below the upper portion ofthe chamber 53 containing gases. The discharge pipe 67 may be connected by a pipe 69 toa main dispensing valve 70 while the supico ply pipe 61 is connected bythe pipe 71 to a storage tank (not shown) for the beverage fina l Y l In operation, the` temperature-control means 27 Vis first adjusted, so that the cooling coils 7 establish the ice regionindicated :by

the dot-and-dashlines of Fig. 1, wherein ,it -is noted thatl theV ice is formed in the spiral passage 54, extending across approximately onehalf the width thereof. Assuming a load on the system due to the operation of the valve 70, lthe-.relatively warm beverage fluidv is forced through the pipe k61 into the centrall portion 59 ofthe spiral passage 54. The beverage fluid then flows through the relatively long spiral passage 54, losing heat due to the conducting effect of the walls of the spiral passage 54 which in effect constitute a` plurality of heat-conducting iins. Heatfis also lost by reason of the movement of the beverage fluid over the ice in the spiral passage 54. When the iiuid finally reaches the outer end of the passage 54the temperature thereof has been considerably reduced below 3?0 F. The fluid now flowsthrougli the annular passage 5l between the outer edge of the partition 45 and theannular side portion 37 of the casing 3l, as well as the opening 52. Should the passage 5l become sealed by an ice formatiomthe opening 52 still affords a connection between tliestorage chamber 53 and the spiral passage 54. rihe cooled beverage fluid collects in the chamber 53 and is discharged therefrom through the lpipe 6T, thev prevent the discharge of any gases there-V through. It is noted that during the beverage cooling operation, ice is automatically main tained in the spiral passage 54 to the desired depth by the refrigerating apparatus shown particularly in Figs. l and 5.

Should an unusually heavyload occur on the beverage system, the frozen fluid in the spiral passage 54 constitutes a reserve, per# mitting the continued cooling of the beverage duid without necessitating an adjustment of the temperature-control means 27. If the ice in the passage 54 is entirely removed, then the seal-between the passage 54 and the side of the casing 3l adjacent the side 8 of the coils 7 is destroyed, permitting the beverage fluid to flow over the relatively large heat-- radiating surface adorded by this side of the casing 3l. rlfhe heat radiation from the. side 8 is relatively large due to its broad surface area and also to the fact that it is in contact with the cooling coils 7. 1f `the over load continues andbecomes permanent, then it is desirable to adjust the means 27 on the switch operating device 26 so as to maintain a lower operating temperature in the refrigerating coils 7 Should it be desirable to have two diderent beverages simultaneouslyV cooled, then a beverage-cooling unit 73 corresponding to the refrigerating unit 29 is positioned in engagement with the side 9 of the cooling coils. The operation of the uni"r 73 is the same as that just described kfor the refrigerating unit 29.l Y

While I have shown onlyone form of embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustratingits principles of construction andoperatiomit is apparent that various changes and modin ficationsmay be made therein without departing from the spiritof my invention. 'I desire,f.therefore, that only Ysuch limitations shall be imposedfthereof as are indicated inthe appendedy claims or'as are 'demanded bythe priorart.

Iclaim: r l. Apparatus ofthe character described comprising refrigerating means adapted to formV ice within a predeterminedl region, and

means comprising. a .wide beverage passage'.

having a-longitudinal portion .thereof eX- tending into said freezingregion, `the Vwidth j of said passage being of ,such dimension that the beverage may `be vfrozento' a predetermined extent only transversely ofsaid pas; sage, whereby another longitudinal portion `beverage passage having a longitudinal portion thereof extending intoV said freezing region, the width of said passage being of such dimension that the beveragemay be frozen to a predetermined extenty only trans'- versely of said passage, whereby another lon-V gitudinaly portion of said passage remains unobstructed. i Y

3. Apparatus of comprising refrigerating means adapted to form icewithin a predetermined region, and means comprising a long, wide and Vshallow of the character described; comprising refrigerating means adapted to so; of said passage remains unobstructed, the Y i' the character described .i

beverage passage having a side thereofex'- tending into said freezing region, the width of said passage being of such dimension that the beverage may be frozen to a predeterf mined extent along the side only of said pas-v` sage, whereby the other side of the passage remains unobstructed. i

4.y Apparatus of the character described comprising refrigerating means adapted to form ice within a predetermined region, and means comprising a beverage'passage and a storage chamber for the cooled beverage, said storage chamber being positionedV on one side of said passage, the other side of said pas-V sage extending into said freezing region, so that ice may be formed in a portion only of said passage.'

5. Refrigerating apparatus comprising means adapted to form icevwitliin a certain region, and a casing having one side portion extending into said region, said casing having a spiral beverage passage formed therein,

said passage having a continuous portion inside said region and a continuous portionoutside said region.

k6. 1n arefrigerating system, the combination with a container for a liquid, of refriger-y ating means positioned in said liquid, aV casing positioned in, operativeV relation to said refrigerating means, said casing rhaving a 4i Y i v l 1.8783122' spiral passage and a'storage chamber, a `beverage supplyvpipe connected to the inner end of saidV spiral passage, the outer end of said y passage being connected lto said chamber,

and a discharge pipe leading from said Chainl`'ber orthe cooled beverage.

7. Refrigerating apparatus coinprising a casing, a partition forming a storage chamber between itself and Vsaid easing, and means we rigidly secured to said partitionforming a y spiral beverage passage communicating With said chamber.v f

8. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a casing'of toroidal form, a .partition forming lo; an annulark storage chamber between itself and said casing7 a spiral plate extending from said partition into close proximity With a Wall of said casing, said spiral plate forming a beverage passage, said chamber and said 3 passage being inter-Conununicating, and inlet and outlet pipesconnected to said charnber and said passage. r Y

Y `JOHN P. GREEN. 

